MassWildlife proposes regulations to ban predator contests and prohibit wanton waste

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Hunters. NOW IS YOUR CHANCE!!!!!

Please try to attend one of these meetings. We need to keep the pressure on them. I'd like to see Sunday hunting as well as removing the .22LR/shotgun only night hunting restrictions. It would also be nice to see them lengthen the coyote season, and allow buckshot. Finally, it would be nice to request they move the deer season into November. In other words, go to the hearing, talk about the subject of the hearing, and give them an earful that MA hunters want to see some positive, modern changes happening, and that we are paying attention.

FYI, from:

mass.wildlife

Verified

PUBLIC HEARINGS: Give feedback on proposed regulations to prohibit predator hunting contests, prohibit wanton waste of hunted wildlife, and change harvest reporting requirements for fox and coyote. -Oct. 22: 7 p.m. at Lenox Town Hall (6 Walker Street, Lenox)

-Oct. 29: 7 p.m. at MassWildlife Field Headquarters (1 Rabbit Hill, Westborough)

Written comments will also be accepted for 2 weeks following the hearings. Details:


mass.gov
MassWildlife proposes regulations to ban predator contests and prohibit wanton waste
Following a review, MassWildlife proposed regulatory changes to prohibit predator hunting…
 
Just to be clear.... If they ever did allow Sunday hunting in mass that would shorten the deer season. For example......shotgun season is 2 weeks.....minus Sundays. Add in one Sunday and they will shorten the season by one day. If muzzle loader season added in 3 Sundays they would shorten the season by 3 days. The management plans are all based on hunting pressure (total season days and total hunters) and success rates (regulating hunting impliments, bait rules, driving rules and such). Adding Sundays increases the pressure that the biologists use in their models.......so if Sundays are added.......the season length will be shortened.

Id rather add the Sundays and shorten the season......less vacation time burned for me to get the same days in the field. My point really is don't expect adding Sundays to give you more total days of deer hunting cuz that won't happen......you would gain Sundays but total hunting days would be the same.

Do you mean move shotgun season into November? Archery season already is in all of November. Again.......moving shotgun season ahead means losing days on the other end......they are not going to lengthen shotgun season for the whole state. I think you may see shotgun season lengthened in 10-14 zones someday......but it should NOT be lengthened in the western zones. Deer herd is smaller out west......that's my 2 cents anyway.

Hunters asking for a longer season just cuz you think you should have more time to fill your tags is the wrong way to look at things. The seasons are not set to be convenient for hunters.....they are set to support the management plan.

We have it pretty damn good these days......way back when I was a kid shotgun season was one week and muzzle loader was 3 days! I'm not bitching one bit about what we have in mass now.....not one bit.


Coyote contest......I don't care......it's no big deal to have guys check the number of yotes they harvested.....no different than a bass tournament in my opinion. The moon bats need to shut the f*** up on that one.

Wanton waste.......lots of states have wanton waste regulations. Personally I take what I consume and so should all hunters. Having a reg on it that can fine a Hunter for shooting game and leaving it to rot........won't effect me any.
 
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Wait, are you saying they think we don't have too many deer now? Those things are like mice or rats, all over the place.
 
I live and hunt in 8. I was speaking of 1-9 where deer are like gypsy moth caterpillars.
 
I live and hunt in 8. I was speaking of 1-9 where deer are like gypsy moth caterpillars.
I edited my post after you replied. I said in 10-14 you may see an extended shotgun season someday.......western zones should not see an extended season.

If that happens guaranteed there will be a shit ton of hunters out there full of hatred and discontent saying they are getting f***ed over. Way too many hunters these days that just want to be brown and down and don't even think about the actual management.
 
@Coyote33 I'll add ......

You wanna see grown men cry and throw hissy fits? Bring the shotgun season in 10-14 into November during the last week of bow season! You'll see some grown bowhunters act I like little spoiled brats! Those dudes already have 6-8 weeks to fill tags and they cry already when shotgun opens up! Cry babies ......every damn one em.
 
I only saw a single hunter last year, other than the person I was with, and he was going in the opposite direction high above us, heading to the road.
 
The state has a target of # of deer per sq/mile. I believe they do aerial FLIR surveys every year or something like that. So they would know what the season length, etc needs to be to hit their management goal in each zone.

The problem as I see it isn't in the length of seasons, etc... It's all about ACCESS. Hit a WMA and it's devoid of any whitetail, yet the posted private farm across the street has 20+ deer per sq mile. We already have open field law, so I don't know what more the state could do to level load the population...

I run across plenty of other hunters here in Zone 11. I've mostly learned what places to avoid - the hard way - over time.

My first year hunting I went onto a WMA and it was like a war zone. Vehicles everywhere, people all over the place. NEver been back.... There are other places to go..
 
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I’ve come across lots and lots of deer in only the 4 weeks I’ve had cameras up but low and behold in Zone 9 I woke a group of 4 bedding down at 445 pm tnite. There’s no shortage of deer in central Ma for sure.
 
The state has a target of # of deer per sq/mile. I believe they do aerial FLIR surveys every year or something like that. So they would know what the season length, etc needs to be to hit their management goal in each zone.

The problem as I see it isn't in the length of seasons, etc... It's all about ACCESS. Hit a WMA and it's devoid of any whitetail, yet the posted private farm across the street has 20+ deer per sq mile. We already have open field law, so I don't know what more the state could do to level load the population...

I run across plenty of other hunters here in Zone 11. I've mostly learned what places to avoid - the hard way - over time.

My first year hunting I went onto a WMA and it was like a war zone. Vehicles everywhere, people all over the place. NEver been back.... There are other places to go..
The way I see it is that we just have to be more active than all the fat lazy hunters out there. Most guys I’m sure love to just drive in and walk 200 ft to a stand/blind. Me? I’m trekking at least .5 miles or more in and bushwhacking a ton.
 
The way I see it is that we just have to be more active than all the fat lazy hunters out there. Most guys I’m sure love to just drive in and walk 200 ft to a stand/blind. Me? I’m trekking at least .5 miles or more in and bushwhacking a ton.
What's your annual success rate?

I've only struck out once in the last 6 seasons and that was last year because I ended up in the hospital with gallbladder / pancreatitis surgery Thanksgiving day and missed all of shotgun season and the first two weeks of muzzie. Only got in the woods 2 days last year. Shot many deer within eyesight of a trail over the years too lol
 
What's your annual success rate?

I've only struck out once in the last 6 seasons and that was last year because I ended up in the hospital with gallbladder / pancreatitis surgery Thanksgiving day and missed all of shotgun season and the first two weeks of muzzie. Only got in the woods 2 days last year. Shot many deer within eyesight of a trail over the years too lol
For me we’re starting now for that annual rate, lol. This is my very first season.
 
Spoke with my "hunting partner" just today. I asked if he wants to go scouting a little. He said he wants to wait for a good freeze, so the ticks go away. Good thinking. Maybe bring the .22 pistol in case we see a coyote.
 
Spoke with my "hunting partner" just today. I asked if he wants to go scouting a little. He said he wants to wait for a good freeze, so the ticks go away. Good thinking. Maybe bring the .22 pistol in case we see a coyote.



1. During daylight hours there is not cal restriction for rifle or handgun........so you can bring something a with a little more horsepower than a 22lr.

2. Might want to wait to shoot any coyotes until Oct 19......that's opening day for yote in mass.
 
Spoke with my "hunting partner" just today. I asked if he wants to go scouting a little. He said he wants to wait for a good freeze, so the ticks go away. Good thinking. Maybe bring the .22 pistol in case we see a coyote.

I hope a lot of folks think as he does on opening day this Monday!!! ME, I'll be out there. Clothes are hanging to dry right now after getting sprayed down with Permethrin today. I may need the thermacell too for the skeeters... Not used to this earlier opening.
 
Yes, I would have checked the season on the coyote. Without actually looking, I thought it was this week.
 
Except Mass wildlife has no power to add Sunday hunting. That is by statute and has to be changed by the legislature. There is a bill but it has been sent to committee where it will die.
 
Except Mass wildlife has no power to add Sunday hunting. That is by statute and has to be changed by the legislature. There is a bill but it has been sent to committee where it will die.
And that's where it remains. Along with caliber restrictions at night, use of artificial light...
 
the "contest" thing is just moonbats harping. We all know that plenty of clubs do this. Does it affect how coyotes are hunted? doubt it. Will it continue, regardless of regulation?.. of course. The same way "gambling" is illegal, yet everyone does Super Bowl squares.

I know that it's not really a big issue for hunters, but the fact that MassDFW would cave to this BS is maddening.
 
I hope a lot of folks think as he does on opening day this Monday!!! ME, I'll be out there. Clothes are hanging to dry right now after getting sprayed down with Permethrin today. I may need the thermacell too for the skeeters... Not used to this earlier opening.

Yes, I would have checked the season on the coyote. Without actually looking, I thought it was this week.


For Zone 9

Coyote 10/19/19 - 3/7/20
Pheasant 10/19/19 - 11/30/19
Turkey 10/21/19 - 11/2/19

Most likely I won’t even think about yotes till well after deer season. Pheasant, Grouse, and Turkey are on my direct radar.
 
the "contest" thing is just moonbats harping. We all know that plenty of clubs do this. Does it affect how coyotes are hunted? doubt it. Will it continue, regardless of regulation?.. of course. The same way "gambling" is illegal, yet everyone does Super Bowl squares.

I know that it's not really a big issue for hunters, but the fact that MassDFW would cave to this BS is maddening.

As noted above, there are DFW regulations and there are statutes, which can be enacted by the legislature OR by ballot question. The last time there was a ballot question we got stuck with the trapping ban, the hounds ban and more, all supported by outside money and passed by a large margin after a bunch of videos of a cocker spaniel in an already illegal trap were aired. Nobody wants another ballot question. It won't be just about coyotes. And they have the internet now.
 
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